Was Cincinnati Reds reliever J.J. Hoover tipping pitches?

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher J.J. Hoover (60) delivers a pitch in the top of the ninth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, on Monday, April 18, 2016. The Reds fell, 5-1, to the Rockies in the series-opening game.(Photo: Sam Greene)

J.J. Hoover was ready with an answer, and it wasn’t, “I’m still looking for the answer.”

After throwing a side session Sunday morning, the beleaguered Cincinnati Reds right-hander said he thinks he’s fixed whatever issue has led to his double-digit ERA to start the 2016 season.

“I think we finally got it figured out,” Hoover said.

Hoover kept the details of his adjustment under wraps, but it’s possible he could have been tipping his pitches. Hitters knowing what’s coming might explain why Hoover has given up so many hard-hit balls so far.

This season, 40 percent of the 20 balls put in play off Hoover have been hit at 100 mph or more. Of the 146 balls hit off Hoover that were tracked by Statcast last season, only 17.8 percent were hit that hard. Hoover’s average exit velocity in 2016 is 88.6 mph, compared to 85.2 mph in 2015.

It’s not like he’s serving up more pitches over the middle. Hoover is actually throwing slightly fewer pitches in the waist-high third of the strike zone than a year ago.

“I felt like I was making quality pitches,” Hoover said. “I wasn’t getting any soft contact like I was used to. That’s kind of what directed us in finding the problem. The stuff looked to be there, but there was something that was a tick off. I think we got it.”

Hoover entered spring training as the new closer after the offseason trade of Aroldis Chapman, but was removed from the role last week after giving up two runs with a three-run lead in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies. His ERA is at 19.50.

Manager Bryan Price said he wasn’t thinking of sending Hoover to the minors to work out his issues, but that Hoover needed to turn things around to get chances late in games again. The 28-year-old understands that decision.

“A hundred percent,” Hoover said. “I wasn’t getting the job done. I’m going to get out there and show I’ll get the job done again. I’m not worried about that.”

Hoover pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings Sunday against the Cubs, throwing a 1-2-3 seventh but leaving after loading the bases with two outs in the eighth.